Spiraling energy costs and a heightened concern for the environment have prompted both the private and public sectors to seriously consider municipal refuse as a viable alternate energy source.
It has been estimated that the rate of domestic waste production averages about 5 pounds per person per day. The energy content of this potential fuel is between 4000-6000 BTU/lb. Since Americans presently throw away about 145 million tons of energy rich refuse a year, a potential 1.74.times.10.sup.15 BTU's may be recovered annually. This is equivalent to the energy contained in 8.75.times.10.sup.7 tons of coal or 3.11.times.10.sup.8 barrels of oil.
Unfortunately, due to its heterogeneous and variable nature, refuse is not an ideal fuel with moisture content varying from 15% to over 55%. It has been established that if the moisture content of the refuse derived fuel (RDF) exceeds 30%, supplemental oil or gas firing is required to sustain furnace combustion efficiency. However, the use of supplemental fuel in an RDF fired vapor generator is, obviously, a self-defeating proposition.